


Bloodbath

by nugatory



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 07:22:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nugatory/pseuds/nugatory
Summary: After the walkers breach the Safe-Zone, Eric is left to lament his re-injured ankle and one of this favorite shirts.





	Bloodbath

"All that blood looks good on you, it brings out your eyes."

Eric was sitting on the porch steps of the infirmary, ignoring the painful throb emanating from his ankle as Aaron sat in front of him, removing the bloodied soft cast boot from around his foot. His still-healing bone had been the last worry on his mind last night as the town fought off the roamers who had breached Alexandria. All he'd known was that he'd seen Aaron go out to fight off the dead, and he knew he had to go out there too.

Cinnamon hues roved over Aaron's handsome, blood-spattered face. The world had become a horror show around them, but Eric felt like he could face anything so long as Aaron was at his side. If last night's nightmare was to become the new norm, Eric could take it. He could handle anything so long as he still had the man in front of him.

As the cast was removed, and Eric's ankle was cradled in those familiar, strong, warm hands, he could see the concern start to crease Aaron's brow. Even if running around last night had hampered his healing, Eric knew he needed to ease Aaron's worries; needed to make him see that he was alright. 

"All that blood looks good on you," he spoke as if he were talking about a shirt that he particularly liked rather than the gore that they were both currently drenched in. "It really brings out your eyes."

Aaron's azure gaze drifted up to meet Eric's, and the smile that pulled at his lover's lips made Eric beam in return. "I never really thought red was a good color on me." Aaron replied, appreciating the moment of levity in an otherwise bleak situation. "It is rather striking on you, though, but I think wearing it head to toe might be overdoing it a little."

"Oh? Is it too much?" 

Aaron couldn't help but laugh, his gaze returning to Eric's foot. "Does it hurt?"

"It's fine, babe." Aaron looked up at him again, ready to argue, but Eric stopped him. "Really. I'll take a shower, get cleaned up and prop it up later. Right now we need to help the others move the bodies."

"You've done more than enough, Eric. The others and I can get this. You need to rest."

"Aaron--"

"It's not open for debate," Aaron's eyebrows were raised slightly, signifying he wasn't going to take no for an answer, and Eric sighed in response, nodding softly as he acquiesced. 

Gently lowering Eric's foot back down, Aaron grabbed the boot and stood up. "Wait here. I'm going to see if there's a spare one of these, then we're going to get you cleaned up and settled in bed."

Eric watched a truck roll by loaded with limp bodies, grimacing at the smell that trailed behind, and realizing for the first time that half of the smell was coming from himself. He looked down at his hands, painted red with dried blood. He could feel it on his face, his neck, his chest. Even his hair felt matted by it. His stomach roiled a little and he closed his eyes to keep from getting sick, trying desperately to think of anything else.

The screen door banged softly behind him and he could hear Aaron's familiar gate against the wooden porch. "Alright, let's get you home and cleaned up."

Holding onto Aaron for support, Eric hobbled across the street, trying to hop so that he didn't put added stress on his ankle. He didn't relish the idea of having to be back on crutches if he'd screwed up the bone again. By the time Eric made it up the flight of steps to their porch, around the kitchen table, and up the split level staircase to the second floor of their house, he was exhausted. Even with Aaron supporting him the entire way, his energy was sapped. As they made it into the large master bathroom, Eric leaned against the vanity to catch his breath while Aaron turned on the water in the shower.

Taking off his watch, Eric set it on the counter to clean it off later, and felt Aaron's hands gently guiding him to turn around and face him. "Let's get these off of you," Aaron said softly as he began to unbutton Eric's once grey shirt. Eric's fingers automatically went the buttons of Aaron's plaid shirt, working them open as well, and grimacing slightly at the large blood stains.

"What's on that mind of yours?" Aaron asked gently as he pushed the shirt off Eric's shoulders and down his arms, now working on his lover's belt and pants.

"How great of an Oxi-Clean commercial we'd make right now," Eric quipped, a soft smirk on his lips.

Aaron laughed loudly, shaking his head. "I'm not sure there's enough Oxi-Clean left in the world to get these stains out, babe."

Eric finished undressing Aaron, then let his lover guide him into the large shower and under the warm spray. He closed his eyes, holding onto Aaron's shoulders as the water began to wash the blood off of him and down the drain. He felt Aaron reaching behind him, and heard the cap of the shampoo bottle open. A moment later, Aaron's hands were back in his hair, working a lather up. 

"Part of me didn't want to believe Rick," Aaron confessed gently as he rinsed the shampoo out of Eric's hair. "You and I have been out there, we've seen it, we've had our close calls...but I still believed we were safe here. Untouchable."

Carefully stepping out from under the spray a little, Eric swiped the water from his face and opened his eyes to look at Aaron, still caked in blood. He maneuvered his lover into the spray, reaching up to help scrub some of the blood from his face as the water washed layer after layer away. "We are safe here. Safer than outside the walls, at least. None of us wanted to believe last night was possible...but it could have been worse." He laid his hand on Aaron's chest, feeling his heart beating. "We're still here, that's all that matters."

Aaron slipped his arms around Eric's waist, tugging him forward into a needy kiss. Eric whimpered in pain as he was forced to put his full weight on his ankle and Aaron immediately pulled back. "Shit...Eric...I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Eric told him, trying to smile despite the pain, gripping Aaron's shoulders to shift his weight back to his good foot. "Let's finish getting cleaned up."

They helped each other clean up, scrubbing the blood off of places the other couldn't reach, then Aaron helped Eric back out of the shower, wrapping him in a clean, fluffy towel. Eric felt more human again, but he also felt the exhaustion from a night fueled by adrenaline and the pain in his ankle. 

After drying off and running a comb through his wet, auburn hair, Eric--still aided by Aaron--made his way into the bedroom where he was helped into a pair of pajama pants and a clean t-shirt, then eased into bed. Aaron grabbed his pillows and used them to prop up Eric's foot, then covered the rest of Eric with a blanket to keep him warm. 

"Stop fussing over me," Eric couldn't help but chuckle, grabbing Aaron's hand and making him sit down beside him.

"It's my right to fuss," Aaron argued playfully, bringing Eric's hand to his lips and kissing it gently. "Do you need anything?"

"Just you." Eric trailed his hand up Aaron's damp chest and lightly gripped the back of his neck, pulling him down until their foreheads touched. "I guess I can't convince you to stay with me, can I?"

"They need my help," Aaron said softly. "But as soon as we finish up out there..."

Eric's lips tipped up in a gentle smile. "I know. I love you."

"I love you, too. Please stay in bed and rest, okay? Please?"

"I will."

"Hm, you must be in pain if you're not resisting."

"Shut up and go help them."

Aaron chuckled and pressed his lips tenderly to Eric's before kissing his forehead. Eric watched him dry the rest of the way off before he dressed in clean clothes. With one more lingering look at the doorway, Eric smiled sleepily to let Aaron know he would be okay on his own, and Aaron slipped out of the room.


End file.
